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Why did exposure to radium paint harm the Radium Girls?

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A color-coded periodic table of the elements displays each element's symbol and atomic number, with categories such as alkali metals, noble gases, halogens, transition metals, and actinoid elements distinguished by different background colors. — alkaline-earth metal Modern version of the periodic table of the elements (printable).

The "Radium Girls" suffered severe health consequences because they ingested significant amounts of radium while working as dial painters. To maintain a fine point on their brushes, the women were instructed to use their lips and tongues, a practice known as "lip-pointing," which led to the direct ingestion of the radioactive material.12

Because radium is an alkaline-earth metal, it behaves chemically like calcium and strontium within the human body. Consequently, the ingested radium concentrated in the workers' bones, where its emitted alpha radiation damaged their health by interfering with the production of red blood cells. This internal exposure resulted in agonizing conditions, including anemia, bone decay, and bone cancer, ultimately leading to the deaths of many of these women.2

It is a fundamental ethical principle that employers must prioritize the safety and well-being of their workers; the failure to protect these women from known hazards represents a profound violation of that responsibility.1